Wed 19 June, 2013
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LG and Qualcomm have enjoyed a close relationship for mobile phone chips, and it appears that will continue with the next Optimus G device, which is due in Q3. A press release tonight promises it will feature a Snapdragon 800 CPU for "the ultimate mobile experience" -- a claim benchmarks seem to back up. Qualcomm says the new 800 chip can best the original Optimus G's S4 Pro by "up to 75 percent" in performance, although what may be more interesting is how this aligns with a LS980 handset that recently leaked on Sprint's website. The release also highlights the new chip's ability to use LTE Advanced carrier aggregation for even faster bandwidth speeds, so while a Galaxy S 4 variant may deliver the feature first, it probably won't be alone for long.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, LG
Source: LG
So this little fox may not have been smart enough to keep its head out of the jar, but at least he knew that these humans might just be kind enough to help him out of his predicament. While I'd like to think he'd learn his lesson about trying to lick the good stuff out of the bottom of jars, John still gets his head caught in our giant plastic jar of cheese puffs all the time, so I can't say I expect more from the fox.
Via Geekosystem
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Yes, we've seen Samsung's Galaxy Mega 6.3 at the FCC before. With its second visit, however, there's something special. The extra-large phone is back as the SGH-i527, and it's carrying AT&T-native LTE that hints at a probable US carrier deal. There aren't any other visible changes in the filing, although we weren't expecting any. The real question is when this behemoth will ship to the States, assuming it ships at all -- for now, any possible AT&T launch remains shrouded in mystery.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung, AT&T
Source: FCC
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Kathy and her boyfriend went to a wedding in Hamilton, Ontario. Not knowing the wedding couple that well, they presented a basket of food items as a gift. After the wedding, the bride texted Kathy to ask for a receipt because one of the couple was gluten-intolerant. Then it got weird.
“I want to thank you for coming to the wedding Friday,” it begins.
“I’m not sure if it’s the first wedding you have been to, but for your next wedding … people give envelopes. I lost out on $200 covering you and your dates plate . … and got fluffy whip and sour patch kids in return. Just a heads-up for the future.”
Kathy was shocked but then made the mistake of engaging in an email exchange about the incident.
Gift-givers: “… to ask for a receipt is unfathomable. In fact it was incredibly disrespectful. It was the rudest gesture I have encountered, or even heard of.”
Newlyweds: “Weddings are to make money for your future … not to pay for peoples meals. Do more research. People haven’t gave gifts since like 50 years ago! You ate steak, chicken, booze, and a beautiful venue.”
Gift-givers: “It’s obvious you have the etiquette of a twig, I couldn’t care less of what you think about the gift you received, “normal” people would welcome anything given, you wanna have a party, you pay for it, DON’T expect me to.”
Newlyweds: “You should have been cut from the list … I knew we were gunna get a bag of peanuts. I was right.”
Kathy then turned to a local Facebook group to see who was in the wrong. The consensus they received was that the gift was lame, but the bride was unbelievably rude for complaining about it. The bride maintains that she was shafted as Kathy and her boyfriend were one of only two guests that didn't give them at least $150 in cash, as was expected in their culture. Oh, there's more to the story you can read in the Hamilton Spectator. What do you think? I was raised to believe that gifts are never expected, required, or requested, but always appreciated, no matter how small. Link -via Fark
(Imzage credit: Barry Gray/The Hamilton Spectator)
Twitter isn't quite done refining TweetDeck's interface following recent web and desktop overhauls -- there's still a little tweaking left in store. The company has just updated the Chrome and web versions of its social app with grab handles that let users drag and drop columns at will. It's also easier to jump back to the top of a column when there are unread tweets, and a selected column now snaps to the sidebar when there are fewer than three total columns on the screen. While the fresh interface is web-only for now, those who prefer the native Mac and Windows apps should get matching upgrades in the near future.
Filed under: Internet
Source: Twitter
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Tis more serious than the fashion police! Fashion designers Dolce and Gabbana have just been found guilty of tax evasion by an Italian court and sentenced to more than a year in jail:
Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana were accused of having transferred control of their brands to a shell company in Luxembourg in 2004 and 2005 to avoid paying Italian taxes.
Prosecutors had argued that setting up the Luxembourg company Gado -- an acronym of the surnames of the two designers -- while the company was operating out of Italy was a bid to defraud the state.
In her closing speech, prosecutor Laura Pedio said there was "rock-solid proof" that the duo had committed "sophisticated tax fraud".
Well, perhaps they'll come up with a new and chic line of prisonwear: Link
While Viacom hasn't always understood how this whole internet video thing works, it's showing some tech savviness today with confirmation of rumors that it's joining Twitter's Amplify program. Beginning with the MTV Video Music Awards on August 25th, Viacom will deliver ad-backed video highlights on Twitter for shows and events across its channel range, including MTV, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon. In theory, the agreement is a win for everyone: Viacom and Twitter get more revenue, while we get a legal way to revisit those inevitable celebrity slip-ups. The two sides haven't said how long their partnership will last, although we wouldn't be surprised if results from the VMA broadcast help shape the deal's future.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, HD
Via: Viacom (Twitter), The Verge
Source: Viacom
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You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Filed under: Cellphones, Misc, Internet
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Who says baby accessories have to be boring? Turn up the fun with the Volume Control Chill Pacifier from the NeatoShop. This hilarious silicone pacifier features a "volume knob" design.
Be sure to check out the NeatoShop for more great Baby & Tot items.
(How many times have you moved house and used the "friend with a pickup" method instead of hiring professionals? I've done that, and now that I have a husband with a truck, it's payback time. Owen Weber produced this video disguised as a truck ad that's really a commentary on the process. -Thanks, Owen!
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In the aftermath of Microsoft's stunning reversal of its Xbox One game licensing plans, we talked to Xbox chief product officer Marc Whitten to find out exactly what will change about Redmond's next game box this November. Whitten thankfully assuaged our primary concern right off the bat: the company's (new) used game policy extends to third-party publishers as well as Microsoft first-party games.
Though gamers won't have to put up with requirements for an internet check-in every 24 hours, some lauded features we'd heard about will not be available as a result -- at least at launch. That includes the sharing between up to ten family members, and playing disc-based games without having the disc in the One. It also means new consoles will need a patch at launch to enable this future / past scenario of disc-based console gaming.
"There are some things -- the family sharing stuff is an example -- where as we move to this system, that functionality goes away," Whitten told us. Another such piece of functionality the console's losing: digitally accessible versions of disc-based games. "You're gonna see your online content but you won't see your physical discs," he said. Should you choose to purchase those games digitally, of course, they'll show up as part of your online persona.
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Companies that prevail in patent lawsuits can't relax until the inevitable appeal is over -- just ask Motorola. Nintendo, however, can take a momentary break. A US Court of Appeals just upheld the company's win over IA Labs, declaring that the Wii Balance Board doesn't infringe on an IA Labs patent. While the ruling isn't all that vital when the accessory is now a rarity at best, it puts IA Labs on the hook for Nintendo's $236,000 attorney bill. It also sends a warning to other companies plotting similar legal assaults, although we'd still expect lawsuits when other patent holders are hitting paydirt.
Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals, Nintendo
Source: Nintendo
Image: Suzanne Tucker/Shutterstock
Obesity is now officially a disease.
The American Medical Association has formally declared obesity as a disease, a move that effectively defined one third of adults and 17% of children in the United States as being sick.
The AMA's decision essentially makes diagnosis and treatment of obesity a physician's professional obligation. As such, it should encourage primary care physicians to get over their discomfort about raising weight concerns with obese patients. Studies have found that more than half of obese patients have never been told by a medical professional they need to lose weight — a result not only of some doctors' reluctance to offend but of their unwillingness to open a lengthy consultation for which they might not be reimbursed.
Past AMA documents have referred to obesity as an "urgent chronic condition," a "major health concern" and a "complex disorder." The vote now lifts obesity above the status of a health condition, disorder or marker for heightened risk of disease — as high cholesterol is for heart disease, for instance.
"As things stand now, primary care physicians tend to look at obesity as a behavior problem," said Dr. Rexford Ahima of University of Pennsylvania's Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism. "This will force primary care physicians to address it, even if we don't have a cure for it."
The decision, which was voted for by the members of the AMA, was controversial - it overrode AMA's own committee who recommended against reclassifying obesity as a disease (it noted that many people with high BMI are actually quite healthy).
Would it lead to "medicalizing" obesity and lead to more reliance on drugs and surgery rather than lifestyle changes? Does this mean that you have a pre-existing medical condition that would lead to higher medical insurance costs or denial of coverage altogether?
What do you think? Did the AMA do the right thing?
POLL: Should we classify obesity as a disease?
- Yes
- I don't know!
- No
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My kids love to come to the NeatoHQ (for one, they get to roam the NeatoShop warehouse, which is filled with toys), but they'd probably still get jealous of five-year-old Malalai who practically grew up in her mom's workplace: the Afghan air force's helicopter!
Here's what Col. Latifa Nabizada, the first female pilot in the Afghan air force, said:
There was a need for us to fly and we flew a lot of missions during our pregnancies. Despite that, I managed to bring Malalai into the world well enough. [...]
Unfortunately, there was nobody to take care of my daughter at home and there is no kindergarten in the military. So most of the time I took Malalai with me in the helicopter. She has grown up in a helicopter - sometimes I think she's not my daughter, but the helicopter's daughter!
She was almost two months' old when we first flew together.
BBC's Outlook has the story: Link
Each week Joshua Fruhlinger contributes This is the Modem World, a column dedicated to exploring the culture of consumer technology.
I have a confession to make. I love /r/cringe, the sub-Reddit dedicated to those moments usually caught on video that make us feel better about our lots in life when we can watch a 30-second chunk of happenstance and walk away thinking, "I am at least one level of dork above that person."
Back in the day you were either a nerd... or not. There were no levels of dorkiness like we have today. You were into computers and Dungeons & Dragons or you weren't: that was pretty much it. You were grouped into a subculture that enjoyed all things electronic, idolized Brian Tochi, knew who Steve Wozniak was and could explain why Weird Science was not a nerd revenge film, but actually a celebration of giving up the machine for love and conformity shrouded in a Hughesian attempt to finally give the dweebs a chance to get some. Still a cool movie, though, and a righteous theme song.
Ford said a while back that it wanted more applications with support for voice control inside its vehicles, and slowly but surely the company's getting what it wished for. Just as Spotify did a few months ago, SiriusXM is now introducing its own app for the SYNC AppLink ecosystem, giving drivers access to the internet radio service right from their Ford's in-dash system. This also includes features like voice commands and steering wheel controls, as well as access to SiriusXM On Demand and MySXM. As part of the deal with the Satellite Radio company, the American car maker announced that customers purchasing one of those SYNC AppLink-ready autos will get a six-month subscription to the All Access Package -- which is usually $199 per year and has more than 160 channels to choose from.
Filed under: Transportation, Software
Source: SiriusXM
Nokia keeps slipping out clues as to what we might expect from its Zoom Reinvented event: following the RM-877's appearance at the FCC, an RM-875 device has also popped up at the US agency. This new hardware looks like an international variant of the RM-877, and thus a second take on what we believe is the EOS. The RM-875 sheds what traces were left of its sibling's 1,700MHz HSPA+ data and switches the LTE to more exotic 850MHz, 1,800MHz, 2,100MHz and 2,500MHz frequencies, but it's otherwise a near perfect match in terms of dimensions and antenna layouts. The camera grip accessory and wireless charging cover persist, too. As such, it's quite possible that whatever Nokia unveils on July 11th will ship worldwide -- let's just hope it ships quickly.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Nokia
Source: FCC
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Good news for the folks at Spindle came today, as the provider of hyperlocal offers from businesses was acquired by Twitter. Described by the company as, "a tool for tuning into your surroundings," the service pulls updates from Twitter and Facebook and categorizes offers around themes such as restaurants and shopping. Spindle also includes a social element, with the ability to share check-ins through Facebook and Twitter. The service is currently limited to 11 cities, which includes New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago, but according to the company, "By joining forces with Twitter, we can do so much more to help you find interesting, timely, and useful information about what's happening around you." As sad news to current users of Spindle, however, the service will shut down effective today, as the team prepares for its transition to the Twitter team in San Francisco. At any rate, it looks like the folks at Lucky Sort won't be the rookies of Twitter HQ anymore. For a peek at what Spindle entails, just hop the break.
Filed under: Internet, Software, Mobile
Via: All Things D
Source: Spindle
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The following is an article from The Annals of Improbable Research.
by Philip O’Leary
Boston College
For those working with the Celtic languages, the definite article looms large. The problems it creates are in no way balanced by the fact that the Celtic indefinite article creates no problems at all because it doesn’t exist. I recently finished co-editing the two-volume Cambridge History of Irish Literature. After five years of work, I and my colleague Margaret Kelleher saw the end in sight, particularly when Cambridge announced they would provide the index. That index, imposing in its length and detail, duly arrived. With its arrival, the end of the project quickly receded from our field of vision, to be replaced with another six months of work -- almost all of it the result of the Irish definite article (or articles, as will soon become clear).
That definite article in the singular is An, and when we looked at the proofs of the index for the first time and saw that the letter “A” went on for several pages we knew at once what had happened -- entry after entry began with An. All would need to be rerouted to their proper places under the initial letter of the following noun.
(Image credit: Flickr user One Tree Hill Studios)
An vs. An, and Worse
Nor was the job to be that simple. First of all, there were also a few entries misplaced under the English definite article “An” and under the Irish interrogative particle An (as well as titles in the interrogative misplaced under the initial letter of the word following this particle in various titles).
Moreover, Irish has a vocative particle A, which created further confusion for the indexers, who understandably enough saw it as an indefinite article and accordingly ignored it as they alphabetized those entries. Needless to say, the plural form of the definite article, Na, created its own chaos down the road in the “N” section of the index. And, to add to the confusion, since this was a history of Irish literature from its beginnings, it, and its indexers, had to deal with earlier forms of the language (and of the definite article, which can appear as – and this list is by no means complete – in, int, ind, a in the singular and ind, in, int, inna, na in the plural.
All bad enough, but it gets worse.
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Stratasys, an Israeli-based 3D printer and additive manufacturer has just agreed to acquire 3D printing company MakerBot for a proposed amount of $403 million in stock. They've announced a "definitive merger agreement" where MakerBot would converge with a subsidiary of Stratasys in a stock-for-stock transaction. After selling more than 22,000 3D printers since its inception in 2009, MakerBot is seen as a leader and pioneer in the 3D printing space, and about 11,000 of those sales were due to the Replicator 2 alone. MakerBot will operate as a separate entity with its own branding and marketing as part of the deal, and will provide an affordable 3D printing market for Stratasys. If all goes well with the regulators, it should be done by the third quarter of 2013.
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It's often been rumored that Microsoft had an eye on Nokia's handset business. It made perfect sense for both companies -- one a struggling pioneer of the mobile industry and the other a struggling stalwart from the first wave of smartphones. According to the Wall Street Journal's sources, the two were actually quite close to striking a deal and were having "advanced talks" in London as recently as this month. But, according to the all-too-familiar "people familiar with the matter," those talks have broken down. Those same sources say it was Microsoft that walked away from the table over concerns about Nokia's asking price, especially in light of its continued failure to put a significant dent in Apple and Samsung's market share. Though it seems like dreams of a Microsoft-Nokia merger are dead for the moment, don't expect the disagreement to severely affect the duo's partnership. Nokia is still reliant on Microsoft's help to stand out in the market and Microsoft needs the Finnish manufacturer to keep pumping out flagship handsets with Windows Phone on them.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Microsoft, Nokia
Source: Wall Street Journal
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Microsoft's next game console, the Xbox One, is perhaps best known for its complex used game system and once-per-24-hour online check-in requirement. Today, Microsoft is rolling back those policies, and the company took to its Xbox blog to explain. "I am announcing the following changes to Xbox One and how you can play, share, lend, and resell your games exactly as you do today on Xbox 360," Xbox head Don Mattrick writes. He then states:
"An internet connection will not be required to play offline Xbox One games - After a one-time system set-up with a new Xbox One, you can play any disc based game without ever connecting online again. There is no 24 hour connection requirement and you can take your Xbox One anywhere you want and play your games, just like on Xbox 360.
Trade-in, lend, resell, gift, and rent disc based games just like you do today - There will be no limitations to using and sharing games, it will work just as it does today on Xbox 360."
Mattrick further explains that this is a direct response to gamer outcry. "Since unveiling our plans for Xbox One, my team and I have heard directly from many of you, read your comments and listened to your feedback. I would like to take the opportunity today to thank you for your assistance in helping us to reshape the future of Xbox One," he says. Further, he confirms that Xbox One games will be region-free, and that disc-based games will have to be kept in the disc tray rather than ripped to the console and played digitally (a previously touted Xbox One feature).
Though the One's down a couple features -- Mattrick specifically says, "These changes will impact some of the scenarios we previously announced for Xbox One" -- it sounds like gamers won this round.
Filed under: Gaming, Software, HD, Microsoft
Source: Xbox Wire
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With Microsoft's Build developer conference kicking off in just a week, we're frankly surprised the company is choosing to release any news ahead of time. Today, though, the firm posted a video showing some changes to Office Web apps. In particular, the preview indicates that these various apps will now support real-time co-authoring, with multiple users making changes at once (yep, just like Google Docs). That's a nice, long-awaited improvement over the current setup, in which multiple users can make changes, but not alongside one another. According to Microsoft, this set of features will roll out over "the next several months." For now, we've got the video preview embedded after the break. And don't be put off by the 14-minute length; the demo doesn't actually begin until five and a half minutes in.
Filed under: Internet, Software, Microsoft
Source: Microsoft
Pancake artist Nathan Shields is stepping up his game. Not only do his pancakes realistically depict dinosaurs, but one also comes with an articulated jaw!
Why does the pteranodon say, "I know, I know"? Click on the link to find out.
What's better than an Engadget reader meetup? An Engadget and gdgt reader meetup! That's right, folks, Engadget + gdgt Live is a mere five days away, and you can (and should) come join us. Doors open on June 24 at 6pm at 82Mercer in Manhattan (the physical address is 76 Mercer Street). The best part: tickets are free and you can get 'em right here. Those who come out will get to kick it in mobile lounges packed with the latest tech from from Samsung and Sony. And, we'll have many more companies showing off their wares, including Qualcomm, Toshiba, Slingbox and Goji, the smart lock company that won our Startup Contest. Plus, there will be on-stage chats with Sony about 4K, Samsung about its Galaxy devices and an editors roundtable with journalists from around the web talking the latest tech news.
We'll also be giving away tons of gear, but you'll have to attend to find out how to grab the schwag for yourself -- rest assured, it'll be worth your while. If free stuff won't entice you (unlikely, we know), then the prospect of an evening with a gaggle of Engadget editors and thousands of other like-minded gadget-geeks should do the trick. Still not enough? We'll be capping off the night with live musical performances presented by IK Multimedia featuring Sound of Contact (featuring Simon Collins, son of Phil Collins) and Vernon Reid (Living Colour founder and guitarist). So, come on out, folks! You'll be glad you did.
Filed under: Announcements
Researchers at the University of Tokyo's Ishikawa Oku Lab have been hard at work on a camera system that can track fast moving objects incredibly well, and the technology may change the way sports like baseball and soccer are televised. Recently, the team building the system has entered the next phase of testing: taking it outside, to see if will perform as well as it has in a lab setting. If all goes according to plan, they expect it'll be ready for broadcast use in roughly two years.
Demos of the tech are pretty impressive, as you can see in the video below showing the (warning: not recommended watching for those easily prone to motion sickness). To get the ping-pong ball-centric shots, the system uses a group of lenses and two small mirrors that pan, tilt and move so the camera itself doesn't have to. The mirrors rely on a speedy image tracking system that follows movement, rather than predicting it. Swapping the camera out for a projector also has some interesting applications -- it can paint digital pictures on whatever its tracking. Sounds like the perfect gadget for folks who wish their table tennis balls looked like emoji.
Via: Diginfo
Source: Ishikawa Oku Laboratory
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Myriam and Brad are behind the mics once again, ready to tackle the latest topics from this past week. What's on the agenda? We'll be chatting about the HTC Butterfly s, Sony Xperia ZU, the upcoming Nokia EOS (which is quickly becoming the world's worst-kept secret) and plenty more. Also, we won't be covering this on the podcast, but you should probably check it out anyway. Join us in 45 minutes!
Update: We're going to have to push the podcast back to around 4:15 (give or take). Our apologies, and appreciate your patience!
Filed under: Announcements, Mobile
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King Richard I of England invaded the island of Cyprus in the year 1191 as part of the Third Crusade. He ordered a castle built there, but it only lasted thirty years before an earthquake destroyed it, and it was never rebuilt. The site of the ruins turned out to be an amazing opportunity for archeological research -in its toilet!
As castles go, Saranda Kolones had a pretty poor run. But two University of Cambridge researchers recently realized that, precisely thanks to the castle’s short use, a priceless treasure had been left behind in the Saranda Kolones’ bowels. One of the centuries-old castle latrines (read: ancient toilet), they found, was still full of dried-up poo. That feces, they thought, could provide valuable insight into what kind of parasites plagued the former residents’ guts. And because only 30 years’ worth of waste clogged the ancient sewage system, those parasites could provide specific insight into what ailed medieval crusaders. The researchers rolled up their sleeves and collected samples from the dessicated cesspool.
They found plenty of parasites, almost 900 years later. They identify them for us, and describe how they would have affected the Crusaders, in an article at Surprising Science. Link
(Image credit: Anastasiou & Mitchell, International Journal of Paleopathology)
Though Lytro early adopters might not know it, every one of those little light field cameras actually has a WiFi chip embedded inside, lying dormant until the company decides to flip the switch. Well, that time has finally come in the form of a firmware update, and wouldn't you know it, it coincides nicely with the release of a new iOS app as well. Dubbed Lytro Mobile, the app connects with the device over WiFi (naturally), letting you view its contents on your favorite iOS device. Simply select the Camera feature in the app, and it'll prompt you to swipe the Lytro's menu drawer until you see the WiFi logo as shown in the picture above. Tap it, follow the on-screen instructions, and voilà, you're now able to upload your images directly to Lytro.com either over a cellular or WiFi connection, no USB plug required.
Like the Lytro desktop app, the mobile version lets you refocus a picture and change its center of perspective via Perspective Shift. You can also add captions and geotagging data, and share your living pictures via Facebook, Twitter, email or SMS. Along with letting you see what's on your camera itself, the app also gives you access to a mobile version of the Lytro website. You can check your profile, view the most popular and most recently uploaded pictures and "like" any photo that strikes your fancy. Interestingly, the app also lets you create an animated GIF out of a living picture -- simply select either "refocus" or "perspective shift" on any of your Lytro shots to have one of those two animations added to your camera roll (we've included an example GIF after the break). Last but not least, the Lytro Mobile app has a series of tips for Lytro owners to learn more about their camera. To learn more about the app, check out the screenshots, video and release after the break. Or you can just head to the App Store link to download it right now.
Filed under: Cameras
Source: Lytro Mobile (App Store)
What's in a name? A whole lot, if you're asking yours truly. "All Your Entertainment. Input One." Such intriguing statements were declared in a document that leaked from Redmond last summer. The slogan "All in one, input one" was on the Microsoft banners decorating the LA Convention Center for E3 this year. But this probably left many wondering: what is "input one," exactly? It didn't go unnoticed by those who follow the TV industry. Input one is commonly used in the biz to refer to the TV input most Americans use to access the majority of their content. This is the input that's displayed when the TV is turned on, and it's the input that most connect their set-top box from their cable or satellite provider to. Naturally, it's a highly coveted position in the content industry and one that is well fortified by the incumbents.
Microsoft has had its sights on input one for a long time, and this particular go-round isn't all that unfamiliar. The Xbox One intends to share input one in what I'd call a man-in-the-middle attack. How well it works won't be revealed until later this year, but clicking through will reveal how I think it'll play out, why this attempt is a direct result of industry constraints and finally, how it matches up with the competition.
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD, Microsoft
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Facebook comment threads are apparently a bit too calm, so the social network company's decided to mix things up with the addition of in-line image embeds starting today. But wait -- put down the link to your hottest GIF -- apparently the service only supports static images for now. And not everyone has it thus far, with the service only rolling out to folks who have a camera icon appear in the comment response field.
The functionality is rolling out on both web and mobile versions of Facebook; product engineer Bob Baldwin debuted the addition on his Facebook profile, where he said he built the image embedding "at a hackathon" with a gaggle of other FBers. Let us know in the comments below if you've already got it, and leave some pictures on the Engadget Facebook page!
Filed under: Internet, Software, Mobile, Facebook
Via: The Next Web
Source: Bob Baldwin
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We knew it was coming, but AT&T has now officially announced the NEC Terrain. Set to become available on the same day as BlackBerry's physical QWERTY-packing handset, the LTE-ready Terrain boasts a "high-resolution" 3.1-inch display, a decent 1.5GHz, dual-core Snapdragon S4 CPU and 8GB of built-in storage which can reach up to 32GB via microSD -- all while running a not-so-fresh version of Android, Ice Cream Sandwich. Given that NEC designed it with the business folk in mind, this little ruggedized (MIL-810G) smartphone also offers on-device encryption for VPN access and compatibility with AT&T's Enhanced Push-to-Talk services, which the company says makes for the perfect blend of "the necessary features needed for work and personal use." As stated earlier, the NEC Terrain will be hitting shelves on June 21st, carrying a $99.99 price tag with the accustomed two-year deal on the Rethink Possible carrier.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, AT&T
Source: AT&T
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Chances are, you've ran across one of George Zimmer's famous Men's Warehouse commercial on TV. Well, not anymore: the founder and spokesman for the men's suit company has just got fired.
The company announced the termination in a blunt statement ... and explained, "The board expects to discuss with Mr. Zimmer the extent, if any, and terms of his ongoing relationship with the company."
Sounds like a pretty nasty breakup.
By Andrea Shalal-Esa PARIS (Reuters) - Increased cyber espionage by China and recent leaks by a contractor working at the National Security Agency have put a sharp focus on cyber security for aerospace and defense companies showing off their wares at this year's Paris Airshow. "We, like others, are constantly being bombarded by people who are trying to get into our systems," said Mark DeYoung, chief executive of U.S. rocket engine and ammunition maker Alliant Techsystems (ATK). ...
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Apple won a contract this week with the Los Angeles Unified School District to provide iPads to its students, netting Cupertino $30 million across the next two years. The agreement will roll out iPads to students at 47 campuses; the iPads cost $678 apiece (nearly $200 more than a standard entry level iPad) and come loaded with educational software. Bizarrely, with tablets priced at $678 apiece, $30 million only nets LA schools approximately 45,000 iPads, while the school district comprises 640,000 students. We asked Apple to clarify and were told that the contract is for 31,000 iPads (for both students and teachers) which come with "Pearson Common Core System of Courses delivered via a new app." That's in addition to Apple standards like iWork, iLife, and iTunes, as well as "a range of educational third-party apps" included. The first iPads arrive in classrooms this fall, in what is deemed the "first phase" of a larger rollout.
The battle for LA's school contract was hard fought, with both board members and a Microsoft rep pushing back against student / teacher ratings and the overall cost. The teachers union president Warren Fletcher requested the money be spent on hiring new staff over mass-buying iPads, while district officials argued that national student tests require computer literacy, the LA Times reports -- the board voted unanimously (6 - 0) to approve the contract.
Traditionally, iPads have been used in college-level education -- both Seton Hill (not Seton Hall) and Tennessee's Webb School use Apple's tablet.
[Image credit: 'flickingerbrad']
Although Vevo has a presence on seemingly every platform, it hasn't done much of anything special on the desktop: so far, it's been either the web or nothing. That's changing -- the company has just launched a native app for Windows 8 and RT devices. The software puts all of Vevo's core music video features into a touch-friendly format, including Vevo TV, live concerts and playlists. While we suspect that many will still be content with the web interface, those who just have to watch Selena Gomez on a Surface can grab the Vevo app for free at the source link.
Filed under: Tablets, Internet, Software, Microsoft
Via: Blogging Windows, The Next Web
Source: Windows Store
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Rdio, that lover of social streaming and sworn enemy of the vowel, is finally opening up its new TV and movie service to all users in the US and UK. Previously only the realm of Rdio Unlimited subscribers, Vdio lets users rent, buy and do various social activities with television and film. At present, the service is offering a solid set of new releases, like Django Unchained and Silver Linings Playbook, which can be rented for $2.99 and $5.99, respectively. Each movie description also lets you know which of your friends have watched the feature, with help from the Facebook sign-in up front.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, HD
Via: The Verge, The Next Web
Source: Rdio Blog
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A subdivision just outside of Austin, Arkansas is in a tizzy about one neighbor who installed two toilets on poles high above the fence and signs that say "Trailer Park Coming Soon." Some residents complain that it has affected their property values.
"Who is going to buy a house where you see signs about a trailer park coming soon? It borderlines harassment. However, if you own property you can do with the property as you please," said Lonoke County Sheriff John Stoley.
Stoley said it all started with a disagreement between a property owner and the developer building homes adjacent to his land. What exactly upset the property owner is still a mystery, but in March, he placed two toilets on two approximately 20-foot poles and nailed spray-painted signs to his trees facing the developer's property with the words "Trailer Park Coming Soon."
Though neighbors claim they can't sell their homes due to the unattractive new displays, toilets in trees are not illegal.
"This is the city limits here. Where the signs are is in the county, and there is no ordinances prohibiting signs in the county on a property. It's not threatening. It's nothing criminal at this time," Stoley stated.
Neither the owner of the toilets not the property developer would make a statement. It's things like this that cause some people to sign draconian HOA agreements. Link -via Arbroath
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Intrepid local heroes. Battles from long forgotten wars. The Great Squirrel Stampede of 1822.
These are all historical events that deserve commemorating, and that's exactly what Hamilton County, Indiana, is going to do:
Dave Heighway knows all about [Indiana's Squirrel Stampede].
"There is one paragraph that talks about a great squirrel migration in 1822," he said.
As the Hamilton County historian, he's been educating all who would listen about the 1822 and 1845 stampedes where migratory squirrels destroyed cornfields as they trekked across Indiana.
"I read that. I thought that's crazy. I actually thought, that's nuts," he said.
He told the Hamilton County Leadership Academy and members secured a grant to start work on a mockup for a fiberglass squirrel. In fact, the group would like to see a half dozen of these in all eight Hamilton County communities.
Kevin Rader of WTHR chased down the story: Link
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Are you looking for the perfect warm weather accessory? The Sunglasses with Bow and Stars from the NeatoShop are sure to light up your life. This great pair of adult sunglasses features a star pattern and 3-dimensional bow. The Sunglasses with Bow and Stars is available in:
- Red
- Black
- Pink
- Yellow
- White
- Blue
The Red, Blue, and White styles are sure to be a hit at any 4th of July bash.
Be sure to check out the NeatoShop for more festive Eyewear!
Geeks and nerds will argue until the end of time about the difference between a geek and a nerd. After all, they are just words, and usage varies with context, community, and era. Burr Settles at Slackpropagation conducted an extremely nerdy (or geeky) word experiment by plotting the instances of certain words as they appear on Twitter, gauging how often each word appears near the words "geek" or "nerd" and plotted the frequencies on this graph. A noble experiment, to be sure, but you have to consider that Twitter itself is a community that does not necessarily represent typical geeks and/or nerds, much less all people who use the English language. Of course, you are free to classify such a quibble as either geeky or nerdy as you wish. The most sensible statement about the argument comes from xkcd, although your mileage may vary. Link -via the Presurfer
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I've never thought of the Ood from Doctor Who as delicious, but I'll bet that Chris-Rachael Oseland's dinner rolls will make me want to get a secondary brain. She used Hawaiian bread dinner rolls for the skulls and dough died with maraschino cherry juice and bourbon vanilla for the tentacles.
Link -via That's Nerdalicious!
Neatorama presents a guest post from actor, comedian, and voiceover artist Eddie Deezen. Visit Eddie at his website. This article was selected for what would have been Moe Howard's 116th birthday.
Moe Howard, the face-slapping, eye-poking leader of the Three Stooges was born Moses Horwitz on June 19, 1897, in Bensonhurst, New York. Early in his youth he got the nickname "Moe" and adopted the middle name Harry. Moe was the fourth of five sons born to Solomon and Jennie Horwitz. Brother Samuel ("Shemp") was two years older and younger brother Jerome ("Curly") was six years Moe's junior.
While he was growing up, Jennie Horwitz loved to have young Moe's hair styled in a feminine-looking "Buster Brown" haircut, complete with girlish curls. The girly-looking mop top haircut caused poor Moe to get into an inordinate amount of fights at PS 163 in Brooklyn. After one bloody nose too many, Moe took shears and carefully clipped off his curls, one by one. This left him with a fringe of long forehead bangs, his future trademark as the bossy leader of the Three Stooges.
Early on, Moe displayed a very quick mind and had an uncanny ability for memorizing anything, an ability that would later come in handy and help make him a "quick study" with scripts. Moe got the show business bug early and at PS 163 he made his acting debut (as well as directing) The Story of Nathan Hale. He soon became a frequent truant, preferring to catch plays at the local melodrama theaters around town. Moe would sit up in the high balcony, rest his chin on a rail, and "select the actor I liked the most and follow his performance throughout the play."
After graduating from PS 163, Moe dropped out of Brooklyn's Erasmus High School after only two months to pursue a career in show biz. He started hanging around the Vitagraph Studios in Brooklyn, running errands for many of the famous actors and actresses of the era. He was to appear in many silent films for Vitagraph, earning from 50 cents to a dollar a day.
In 1909, Moe met another acting hopeful named Ted Healy and the two became close friends. In 1912, Moe and Ted joined Annette Kellerman's aquatic act as "diving girls," a job that lasted through the summer.
In 1913, Moe and older brother Shemp started singing in a quartet (Moe sang baritone; Shemp sang lead). Moe and Shemp sang every night until about 9 or 10 PM in the family room at Sullivan's Saloon, until Solomon found out and put an end to it.
In 1914, Moe found employment acting on Captain Bryant's showboat Sunflower. He developed his chops as a thespian on the Sunflower for the next two years, acting in various melodramas. By 1917, Moe and Shemp developed a blackface act and trod the boards of Vaudeville together for the next five years.
In 1922, Moe resumed his acquaintance with old friend Ted Healy. Soon Moe, Ted, and Shemp formed the earliest version of the Three Stooges act, an act which was to last, in various forms, for the next five decades. Comedian/violinist Larry Fine joined the act in 1925 and for the next seven years, the act would feature Ted Healy as "the boss" of the act, bullying, slapping, and eye-poking Moe, Larry, and Shemp.
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(Macho, Rex, Maya, Dave, Bella, and George all come when their names are called. Twiggy, the cat, couldn't care less, as cats will. All the animals are from shelters or rescue groups. -via Tastefully Offensive
Panna cotta is an Italian gelatin dessert. How did Rhiannon get hers in this visually striking slant? Click on Continue reading to find out.
What's more summery than watermelon? Watermelon Oreos, of course! Unlike some of the other odd Oreo flavors, Dinosaur Dracula says these ones are actually pretty good, though they taste more like watermelon Bubblicious than the actual fruit. Some people would say that's even better though.
Link Via The Consumerist
Sahily's right eyelid looks just like the poster for Star Trek Into Darkness. Impressive! I can't wait for the sequel.
Link -via When Geeks Wed
The way I see it, if you're gonna mash up pop culture references on a T-shirt, why not do it with some style? What you have to do is start at the absolute basic, like ntesign did with this Back to Reality T-shirt over at the NeatoShop.
Check out ntesign's Facebook page (give 'im a like, wontcha?), then head on over to his NeatoShop page for more neat designs: Link
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View more designs by ntesign | More Funny T-shirts - Thank you in advance for your business! Your purchase helps support indie artists as well as this blog.
Are you a professional illustrator or T-shirt designer? Let's chat! Sell your designs on the NeatoShop, earn generous royalties, and get featured in front of tons of potential new fans on Neatorama!
Tue 18 June, 2013
(The latest parody song from the talented and hardworking Peterson Farm Brothers is a takeoff on "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air" with the lyrics changed to reflect their real passion: farming. In this video, we also get a glimpse of their animals, including dancing cows! -via Viral Viral Videos
See more videos from The Peterson Farm Brothers.
By Stephanie Simon (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund will make its training sessions on financial policy and debt sustainability available online this year to government officials worldwide, allowing it to reach a bigger audience at lower cost, it said on Wednesday. IMF financial workshops are meant to help governments address economic dilemmas and are currently held in eight training centers worldwide, meaning officials must travel and remain onsite for weeks, said Sharmini Coorey, director of the IMF's Institute for Capacity Development. ...
(Reuters) - Netflix Inc will launch its TV and movie streaming service in The Netherlands later this year, expanding its reach further into Europe, the company said on Tuesday. Netflix boasts 29.2 million streaming subscribers in the United States and 7.1 million in international markets, delivering movies and television shows to Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, Scandinavia and parts of Latin America and the Caribbean. The company generates profits in the United States and Canada, but has lost money as it expanded into foreign markets. Netflix projects a profit of up to $149 million from its U. ...
Anguistralobe Steampunk Pendant Necklace
Are you having trouble navigating the world of fashionably geek accessories? Harness the power of the Anguistralobe Steampunk Pendant Necklace from the NeatoShop. This fantastic piece of jewelry features internal discs you can rotate and is made from English pewter and brass.
Be sure to check out the NeatoShop for more great Jewelry.
Forget speeding cars! Pedestrians in London have a new danger to look out for: exploding sidewalk.
The Health and Safety Executive in the UK announced that sidewalks in London have been exploding at an alarming rate. There were 8 blasts in 2010 and 29 last year. So far, they've seen 12 blasts this year.
UK Power Networks, the firm responsible for many of the under-pavement electricity boxes at the heart of the problem say that the explosions should be placed in context. There are over 100,000 of the boxes under London's streets and with just a handful of explosions reported these represent 'relatively few cases when our equipment has faltered' say UPN.
The Youtube clip above, taken in April 2013, shows a gas explosion on Pimlico Road: Link
Photo: Rajanish Kakade/AP
144 years after the invention of electric telegraphy, the last telegram service in the world will shut down. This technology is still used in India, where about 5,000 telegrams are sent down the wires daily. But on July 14, it will...stop.
The BSNL board, after dilly-dallying for two years, decided to shut down the service as it was no longer commercially viable.
"We were incurring losses of over $23 million a year because SMS and smartphones have rendered this service redundant," Shamim Akhtar, general manager of BSNL's telegraph services, told the Monitor.
What do you think the last telegram should say?
Link -via Marginal Revolution
Theo, a part-Siamese cat in Ipswich, England, is a kleptomaniac, although he would probably describe himself as a "collector." Paul Edwards and girlfriend Rachael Drouet began noticing things around the house that they did not recognize. First it was cat toys.
Mr Edwards said things "escalated" after that.
"We've had things like muslin cloths, fluffy pens, a USB phone charger cable, a child's piece of art which they'd obviously spent most of the morning making - a glorious thing with lots of different colour feathers and leaves stuck to it, lots of things.
"We've got some other neighbours who have young children and quite like the cat so [they] had encouraged him into the house."He started stealing things from them and it kind of went downhill from there."
Edwards says his neighbors are mostly understanding, and has set up a Facebook page to post the stolen items and reunite them with their owners. Link -via Arbroath